MOTORISTS' lives are being put at risk by a tiny terror who is hurling bricks at speeding cars in Earley.

MOTORISTS' lives are being put at risk by a tiny terror who is hurling bricks at speeding cars in Earley.

Police this morning issued an alert to drivers after being told by six motorists in the past two weeks about terrifying near-misses on the A4 near Shepherds Hill.

On Monday night, a huge brick missed the head of a woman passenger by inches and caused £1,000 worth of damage.

The woman's boyfriend told the Evening Post he saw what appeared to be a 10-year-old running away and he found four other bricks on the busy dual carriageway.

PC Roy Townsend said the lad was hiding in bushes on the service road next to the A4 near Scotchman's Knob and hurling the bricks at passing cars before running back towards nearby houses.

PC Townsend said: "It has got to be a local lad. What springs to mind is the horrific incidents on the motorway where bricks are thrown from over bridges. It is quite a scary situation to be bombarded with a missile. When you think how busy that road is, you only need a motorist to swerve from panicking and you have a serious collision on your hands.

"You have the potential for really serious injuries. Children don't think of the

consequences."

The latest victim told the Evening Post he initially thought he had run over a child when the brick hit the passenger door of his car at 9.30pm on Monday.

He saw a young boy running off and he said: "It was an engineering brick, not a house brick, and I don't know how he threw it. There were four other bricks in the road so he was obviously taking a few shots.

"A little higher, and it would have gone through the window. My lady was shaken.

"I think it has got the potential to seriously injure or kill someone."

The boy is described as white, aged about 10, and was wearing a grey top.

Police will be unable to prosecute him if he is under 10 and will need to prove he knew it was wrong if he turns out to be just over.

PC Townsend said it was possible he was older or that there were others also involved.

"This is where the parents should take some responsibility and question if this is their child. The parents must be looking at what their child is up to and why they are doing it."